Published! Behind the Scenes Look at the Latest Cover Shoot for Maine DOG Magazine

There’s nothing more delightful than a perfectly content pup in a beautiful setting. That’s exactly what happened on a recent cover shoot for Maine DOG Magazine, formerly known as Fido Magazine. A social vote chooses cover models.

Dog owners submit a photo of their dog online. Then, at the end of the submission period, a gallery is posted to the magazine’s Facebook page. The dog with the most online votes wins the opportunity to be the next published cover dog.

The published summer cover model, Roman, is a delightful, loving, and inquisitive Golden Retriever from Hollis, Maine. He won the summer cover with an impressive 512 Facebook “likes.” Roman and his humans Amanda and Jennifer traveled from Hollis to Boothbay Harbor for a distinctly coastal flair session.

They joined Maine DOG Magazine editor Amelia Small and me for a foggy coastal Maine shoot full of color and fun. Our initial plan had been to visit Porter’s Preserve trails and end our session at the ocean. On the way, we discovered something, even more, Maine, a colorful lobster and fish shack near the bridge to Knickerbocker Island, just down the way from Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

We started at the shack, then traveled across the bridge to a picnic area surrounded by Maine pines and leading to a muddy but lovely inlet with water. Anyone who knows Golden Retrievers knows that they love water. Roman is no exception. In fact, he was so excited to get to the water that it took all of us and an adorable lime green squeaky toy sheep to keep his focus on us.

My goal in any photo session or cover session is to ensure that we’re safe. I work with the dog and his people, so they’re happy and engaged. I play off of the dog’s strengths.

Roman and his human mom, Amanda, filled out a questionnaire ahead of time to ensure I knew more about them and what would work to keep him engaged and safe. That questionnaire also helps me understand their relationship even better.

For the cover, we knew the kind of shot we were looking for and kept in mind where components should go, like the magazine name, the ISBN, and promos for stories. It’s not just about creating a gorgeous image, which we did. It’s about creating a good experience for the editor, dog, and owner.

I had a blast working with Roman, Amelia, and Roman’s people. They were super assistants who helped keep Roman interested and paying attention. I’m sure his favorite part of the session was being let off the leash by the ocean’s edge to chase his red ball into the waves. I completely understand why his people love him so much.

Moreover, it’s an honor to be able to work with such lovely, genuine people. Over the next year, I’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with Amelia Small, editor of Maine DOG Magazine, to photograph the covers of the Summer (published now), Fall, Winter, and Spring issues of the magazine. I know that the next year will be full of fun and new furry friends.

Want to snag your own copy?

Subscribe to the magazine here or check these dog-friendly stores:

• The Animal House – Westbrook & Damariscotta
• The Loyal Biscuit
• The Fish & Bone – Portland
• Paws Applause Natural Pet Supply – Scarborough
• Super Dogs and Cats – Biddeford
• Planet Dog – Portland
• Gorham Growl – Gorham